PROBLEM SOLVERS CAUCUS ENDORSES BILL TO TRAIN POLICE ON MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE

WASHINGTON - Today, the Problem Solvers Caucus endorsed the bipartisan Law Enforcement Training for Mental Health Crisis Response Act – a bill that would provide grant funding to conduct behavioral health crisis response training for law enforcement departments at the state, local, and tribal levels. Problem Solvers, Reps. Kendra Horn and Anthony Gonzalez introduced the bill in the U.S. House of Representatives, they later brought the bill to the caucus for endorsement where more than 75 percent of the 50-member caucus agreed to support the bill.

Across the United States, one in every 10 calls for police response involve a person suffering from a mental illness and one in every four people killed by police suffer from a mental health problem. The Law Enforcement Training for Mental Health Crisis Response Act would help ensure police departments have the necessary funding to provide officers with the training they need to safely respond to those suffering a mental health crisis.

"Addressing the mental health crisis across the country is a national priority and I'm incredibly proud to endorse this bipartisan legislation that will improve our nation's mental health responsiveness, training, and care to our frontline officers," said Problem Solvers Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Josh Gottheimer."We must always get the backs of the men and women who put their lives on the line to keep us safe and make sure they have all the resources and training they need to protect our communities."

"We care about providing law enforcement officers with the resources they deserve to best serve the community and keep people safe," said Problem Solvers Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Tom Reed. "This legislation would ensure police agencies across the country have access to behavioral health crisis response training, which we know will help reduce incidents of violence and ensure the men and women who serve are equipped to respond to any challenge they may face in our communities."

"Law enforcement officers are often the first to respond to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis, but without adequate training the outcome can be tragic," said Rep. Kendra Horn. "One in four people who are killed by police live with a severe mental illness. By providing funding for police departments to receive training on how to recognize, deescalate, and respond to individuals in crisis, we can save lives. That is exactly what this bill will do. I am proud to work with Congressman Gonzalez on this critical issue and grateful for the endorsement of the Problem Solver's Caucus on this bipartisan bill."

"I am proud to have the endorsement of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus on this important legislation to improve training for law enforcement responding to behavioral health crisis situations, including mental health issues and opioid abuse and addiction," said Rep. Anthony Gonzalez. "Our country is in the midst of a serious conversation on policing. This bipartisan legislation provides a critical step towards improving the way our law enforcement responds to some of our most frequent calls and will help keep both our community and our law enforcement officers safe."

"Mental health care is primary health care and we need to invest in mental health care and treatment as a national priority," said Rep. Susie Lee. "Smart emergency response is vital to mental health care. Yet, I have heard from Nevadans, community leaders, and police officers themselves that we must get our law enforcement and first responders the resources they need to deal with mental health crises. The reality is that one in every 10 police calls involve a person suffering from a mental illness. Better mental health training will help officers better understand and respond to mental illnesses and ensure the safety of both the person suffering and the officer. Ultimately, the goal is to keep people safe, and that's what this bill does."

"As a former law enforcement officer, many of the calls I responded to involved individuals experiencing a mental health crisis," said Rep. Tom O'Halleran. "I know firsthand that these situations require training, patience, and care. I'm proud to endorse the bipartisan Law Enforcement Training for Mental Health Crisis Response Act to help improve behavioral health crisis response training for law enforcement officers at the state, local, and tribal levels."

"Individuals with mental illness are 16 times more likely to be killed by a police officer than other people approached or stopped by law enforcement, which is heartbreaking and must be fixed," said Rep. Elaine Luria. "This bill would take an important step to help state and local law enforcement officers better identify and respond to persons in a mental health crisis, so these people can get the help they need while staying safe."

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The Problem Solvers Caucus is a bipartisan group in Congress comprised of 50 members – equally divided between Democrats and Republicans – who are committed to forging bipartisan cooperation on key issues. It is co-chaired by Congressman Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Congressman Tom Reed (R-NY).